30,000 fake auto parts seized in Dubai raid

Dubai, June 24, 2012

The officials of the Department of Economic Development (DED) confiscated about 30,000 fake automotive parts after conducting extensive raids across Dubai during the first quarter of the year.

The raids were carried out at various auto spare parts outlets and warehouses in the emirate, said the DED in a statement.

With its attractive geographic position and accommodating authorities and multinational distribution companies continuing to set up operations in the bustling city, Dubai has emerged out as the Middle East’s re-export and logistics hub, it added.

It was reported earlier this year that commercial fraud costs the UAE as much as Dh500 million per year, with the vast majority of that number attributed to counterfeit automotive spare parts as well as cosmetics, electric appliances and tobacco.

A recent study by the Brand Owners Protection Group suggested that car parts could account for almost 70 per cent of all fake goods in the UAE, based on market value and volume.

Leading UAE auto parts distributer A-MAP said it continues to wage war on fake automotive products.

'Fake parts are the scourge of UAE roads. While they may be cheaper, they are not tested, and the safety profile is very questionable,' stated Asad Badami, the managing director of A-MAP, which specializes in the distribution of aftermarket automotive spare parts, automotive batteries, tyres, and lubricants.

'Car owners should know that it’s not worth risking their own lives and indeed the lives of other road users when buying these illegitimate parts,' he stated.

“This position is manipulated by counterfeit traders to distribute their dangerous goods within and around the UAE, and we are determined to aid the authorities to stamp this out, the official said.

'Ensuring that the public is aware of the risks to both their vehicles and their lives is one way of doing that,” noted Badami, who also stressed that the long-term benefit of purchasing genuine parts far outweighs the savings made on fake parts.

“Not only are genuine parts tested rigorously and adhere to strict safety standards, they are also more likely to last longer, making them more cost-effective over time,” Badami said.-TradeArabia News Service